Fort Nelson at Night - Friday, 4 May 2012

Fort Nelson will ring to the sound of a 64-pounder gun on Friday, May 18, during a rare chance to explore the Victorian fortress at night.

Meet uniformed gunners from the Portsdown Artillery Volunteers – plus the crew who will man the mighty Sexton tank as it roars around the parade ground.

The event forms part of Museums at Night, the annual, after-hours celebration when hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites open their doors across the UK.

Fort Nelson will close as normal at 4.30pm on May 18, and then re-open between 6pm and 9pm. Programme highlights include:

Gun firings – The 64-pounder, saluting gun, part of the Fort’s original armament on the western ramparts, will be fired by the Portsdown Artillery Volunteers at 6.30pm and 7.45pm.

Sexton self-propelled gun – See the Royal Armouries’ 26-tonne, Second World War Sexton driving and firing at 7.15pm and 8.15pm. Afterwards take a closer look, talk to the crew and climb inside the tank-like vehicle (children must be over 1m tall and supervised).

Storytelling Tours – Meet Old Ma Bobbins as she relates Fort Nelson’s fascinating history. Tours last approximately 20 minutes and run from 6.15pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm.

Meet the Victorian gunners – See the gunners at rest in the restored Victorian barrack room.

Admission costs £3 for adults, £2 for children – with a family ticket costing £8 (up to three children). Refreshments will be available from the Fort’s Café 1871, plus a kiosk on the parade ground.

Standing high on Portsdown Hill near Fareham, Fort Nelson showcases one of the world’s finest collections of artillery and cannon, from across the ages and from all corners of the globe.

Last year, this unique heritage attraction underwent a £3.5m redevelopment to create a museum for the 21st century, supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Notes to editors

Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour and has sites in Leeds, HM Tower of London, Fort Nelson and Louisville, Kentucky. It is the first British national museum to open a permanent presence in another country

Admission to the museum is free. However, there may be a small charge for some special events.